lamby toes (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sharjo) wrote,@ 2009-05-10 16:01:00 |
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Five questions with Sharlene Johnston
Sharlene Johnston is known as the hard hitting Hel from the campy futuristic Cleopatra 2525 and the gruff and efficient First Mate Zoë Washburne from the cult favorite sci-fi series Firefly and its follow-up movie Serenity. We sit down with one of Hollywood most beautiful women to ask her the five questions everyone wants to get answers to.
Will you ever get married again?
No. Never. It's easier for me to put myself out there in a movie or television role, or even in an interview, before I'd open myself up to that kind of hurt when it all goes wrong again. Maybe ten years from now, I might change my answer, but right now, it's 'no, never.'
What do you say to critics who say that you always come close to reaching your potential, but then you drop back into the 'easy' parts?
I say that I pick the roles that appeal to me as an actress. I don't want to just 'make a mark', I want to enjoy what I do. I'm blessed to have this job, I don't think it's wrong for me to pick roles and work with people that I have fun with. Life's too short not to have fun.
Is it easier or harder now to get roles now that you're over 40?
I don't really see any difference. I think Hollywood, the entertainment business in general is a very different place that it was even ten years ago. 'Established' is in, some people want a guaranteed 'talent' in place. It depends on the project now, for me. Maybe it's because I'm at a place where I can refuse roles now, I don't feel so compelled to take every single thing that comes across my desk to read.
Your sister, Lena, is getting a lot of buzz for her music and now she's moving into acting. Do you feel threatened that 'SharJo' will be replaced with 'LeJohn'?
Not at all! Lena's a great, great talent. If I have to lose roles and jobs to someone, I'd rather it be Lena. She's not a carbon copy of me, she's a very different person, different spirit. She's more the Zoë type than I am in real life, she's much more daring. I wish my baby sister all the best.
Cleopatra 2525, Firefly or X-Men: which was your favorite cast to work with?
That's like asking me to pick a favorite kid! All three crews are very dear to me, for very different reasons. Cleo, I was a lead in a series for the first time, I was asked to be the serious one, especially at a time when personally, I wasn't feeling that at all. Firefly, that's family, right there. We all clung to each other because for the most part, the world expected us to fail. In one regard, you might think we did until you listen to how much that series affected people, how the fans embraced us. X-Men is like that as well, that's why I was so honored to be asked to join the cast. Storm is an icon, not just for black women, but for women. For people. We felt that burden, but instead of ignoring it, we held on to it.
Sharlene Johnston can next be seen in Eagle Eye, set to start production soon
Sharlene Johnston is known as the hard hitting Hel from the campy futuristic Cleopatra 2525 and the gruff and efficient First Mate Zoë Washburne from the cult favorite sci-fi series Firefly and its follow-up movie Serenity. We sit down with one of Hollywood most beautiful women to ask her the five questions everyone wants to get answers to.Will you ever get married again?
No. Never. It's easier for me to put myself out there in a movie or television role, or even in an interview, before I'd open myself up to that kind of hurt when it all goes wrong again. Maybe ten years from now, I might change my answer, but right now, it's 'no, never.'
What do you say to critics who say that you always come close to reaching your potential, but then you drop back into the 'easy' parts?
I say that I pick the roles that appeal to me as an actress. I don't want to just 'make a mark', I want to enjoy what I do. I'm blessed to have this job, I don't think it's wrong for me to pick roles and work with people that I have fun with. Life's too short not to have fun.
Is it easier or harder now to get roles now that you're over 40?
I don't really see any difference. I think Hollywood, the entertainment business in general is a very different place that it was even ten years ago. 'Established' is in, some people want a guaranteed 'talent' in place. It depends on the project now, for me. Maybe it's because I'm at a place where I can refuse roles now, I don't feel so compelled to take every single thing that comes across my desk to read.
Your sister, Lena, is getting a lot of buzz for her music and now she's moving into acting. Do you feel threatened that 'SharJo' will be replaced with 'LeJohn'?
Not at all! Lena's a great, great talent. If I have to lose roles and jobs to someone, I'd rather it be Lena. She's not a carbon copy of me, she's a very different person, different spirit. She's more the Zoë type than I am in real life, she's much more daring. I wish my baby sister all the best.
Cleopatra 2525, Firefly or X-Men: which was your favorite cast to work with?
That's like asking me to pick a favorite kid! All three crews are very dear to me, for very different reasons. Cleo, I was a lead in a series for the first time, I was asked to be the serious one, especially at a time when personally, I wasn't feeling that at all. Firefly, that's family, right there. We all clung to each other because for the most part, the world expected us to fail. In one regard, you might think we did until you listen to how much that series affected people, how the fans embraced us. X-Men is like that as well, that's why I was so honored to be asked to join the cast. Storm is an icon, not just for black women, but for women. For people. We felt that burden, but instead of ignoring it, we held on to it.
Sharlene Johnston can next be seen in Eagle Eye, set to start production soon